Alt History Campaign, 44-46 (sw) SS KG Griffon

[PanzerBob]

KG GRIFFON War Diary-15 May 1945


I must say I loathe assaults on fixed lines or fortified positions, they seem such a waste of good soldiers and resources. Never the less, they are a fact of the military condition.

Our attack, was stalled due to the Americans crafty placement of their mines, they “booby trapped” the roads on my axis of advance, and as found out too late and left the fields around them open. This allowed Divisional Recce to slip through and my attached Pioneers to get bogged down clearing routes not necessary. Div Recce took a bloody pounding as they hit the enemy’s screen (It appears I didn’t use enough artillery preps or as prisoners indicated we were dealing with a new breed of US soldier, maybe a little of both.)

Two engagements stood out, first was between one three man Recce MC and a dug in platoon of infantry. Running into them in the smoke and confusion, they took down one section at a time, causing the last to retreat as the last SS Mann went down MG42 blazing. The second was a valiant run by a 234/1 down the main axis of advance, exposing multiple enemy positions allowing my 3rd Kp PzGrens to take them out. The two survivors have been awarded Iron Crosses.

My HUBZ had taken heavy fire as well during a Recce In Force Mission, but they inflicted several Tank kills and several AT Guns plus assorted damage on egressing the area. I’ve sent a request that my HUBZ crews be awarded Panzer Combat Badges, a first I believe for Flyers.

I’ve ordered all arty missions to shift to the areas my force was to hit on its pivot north.

Also of note, JABO’s attacked both mine clearance zones, even though heavily smoked in, however, damage was minimal.

TBC

[img]/threads/images/Graemlins/Lightning.gif[/img] [img]/threads/images/Graemlins/Lightning.gif[/img]Obersturmbannführer PanzerBob

[PanzerBob]

Excerpts From “In the Führer’s Service” RFM PanzerBob 1954

…………cursed JABO’s and my own pride saw me in the hospital again. A P38 hit my Command Rommel broadside with rockets and cannons, leaving most of my staff dead or like me out of the battle and on the way to the rear areas with the rest of my boys. My KG was mauled but opened the American Defensive Line and was part of the push causing the Allies to abandon the Continent.

…………..funny how events that swirl around you on the field of combat, are clearer when at home away from the action. The Naval Situation in the North Atlantic and the Channel temporarily switched to favour the Allies as their Carrier Force stabilized their local command of the area allowing the Allies to withdrawn from the last two Pockets. Several of the much vaulted carriers were sunk, along with assorted other warships and transports…………………………

………..as of August 1945, the world was starting to settle in to it’s present political divides, The Eurasian Axis Domain as it would come to known, now included Great Russia, The Imperial Empire, The Royal Realm of India and or course the 3rd Reich. The Americas with Australia, and Africa would later be known as the “Free World”, but for now several thorns had to be removed from the Mid-East, Italy, and of course the UK………

………….summoned to Berlin I found I was on my way to the Middle East, Syria in particular. I was to command a KG formed around a PzGren Bn with a Panther Kp plus support elements………….as part of Army Group Templar…………my KG will bear the proud Griffon name……………..

…………Abwehr briefings confirmed that a mix of British, ANZAC, and Italian Forces are attempting to hold the area, and we are being called on to help Arabs establish a Kingdom allied with the Reich and guaranteeing oil for the Domain………………

………………recommendations I sent up the chain, had bore fruit…………Hubz were armed with sabot rounds for their 3 cm cannon and were being incorporated into Recce Groups…………………….Rommel Panzer Grenadier Carriers had been, in version 2 abandoned the highly dangerous 5 cm gun and replaced with a rapid fire 2 cm cannon more suited for close infantry support…………………..testing confirmed that the barrel loaded 30 cm HE warhead round, was more likely in use, to kill or damage our own troops, plus the added danger of having to emerge from under cover of the vehicle to load the thing…………………

[PanzerBob]

SSKG GRIFFON ORDERS- 14 Aug 45

With the Our new KG below, we are to advance to the Old French Fort, and Oasis 5km to our west, and hold against any attempt to dislodge us. We also must take the bridges to the north and west.

Div has attached a Recce Gp with 2 Unarmed Spotter HUBZ and 3x 12.2 cm Btty and a 17 cm Btty.

Good Hunting, Men

• KG ORBAT
  
  PzBeob Zug- 3x Stabtigers, 1x 251
  
  PzAufkl Gp- 1x Befhelspanther, 2x Hyena 2x Rommel 2x HvInf Sect. 3x Tornado HUBZ
  
  PzGren Bn- (HQ) 2x Rommel 1x Pz Gren SMG, 1x MMG
  
  3x PzGren Kp- 1x Rommel, 3x 251, 1x PG SMG, 2x PG, 1x MMG
  
  PLUS 2x SPAA
  
  Panzer Kp- 22x Panther UHU
  
  swPzJgr Zug- 4x Schwartzpanther
  
  Organic Arty- 3x 15 cm Btty
  
  
  

[PanzerBob]

Excerpts From “Die Wehrmacht” Sept 1947

The StabTiger

…………other panzer conversions continued making good use of recovered or disused panzers. Common were conversions to other types of combat panzer, however, command type vehicles also were in demand as well. One of note was the StabTiger. Utilizing the failed Sturmtiger it finally provided a platform large and heavily armoured enough to meet the needs of forward command and artillery staffs in their lethal environments.

Once the mortar and associated equipment was removed and its mantel area sealed off the interior of the StabTiger provided room for radios, map boards and other command necessities, plus a comfortable space for the staff to work. All the original loading hatches were retained allowing staff easy access. The hull machine gun was retained and two MG42 were mounted topside for local defence.

The first conversions were allotted to forward artillery observer crews. Command staffs quickly saw the value of the StabTiger and for the remainder of the War being issued these heavy-duty command panzers was a prize. In an attempt to meet demand other Tigers were converted as the Tiger Ausf E were phased out. Known as the (Neu) variant, they were easily identified by the front plate having no sealed off hole. The front was one piece, simplifying production. This was last variant of the much valued Tiger Ausf E.

The Waffen SS in Syria first used StabTiger in numbers……………………..

[PatG]

Stab Tiger seems an odd choice given it's low speed, high fuel consumption and overall large size. A turret-less Stab Panther would be more to my taste. Plate the top over and maybe add a decent ex naval range-finder and you will have an agile and effective platform.

Or even better, kit out some of your helicopters for FO duty - kept back of the FEBA the should be able to see just fine while staying out of AAA range.

[valo2000]

yeah and whats the imperial empire?

[PanzerBob]

Good day,

I couldn't agree more Pat, but, in this ALT World, this is what happened, and the Sturmtiger Icon lent itself well to the concept without any changes to the art. Also I always thought the Sturmtiger was a wasted concept as well, but, I mused on concept of using all that space under armour for something else.

As you may have noticed my HUBZ are a part of my KG PzAufkl Gp. OOPS I forgot the include them. DOH!! Anyway, I'm trialing them in the Recce Gp and hoping they will help keep more of my Recon Truppen alive. We shall see.

The Imperial Empire, Valo, is Japan, and all the lands it managed to hang on to after China surrendered, this would include mainland SE Asia, The Free World managed to keep most of the Island Nations under the US policy of containment.

Eternal War (gaming) PanzerBob